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Saturday, October 19, 2013

As of 2012, there are 11,020,000 millionaires in the US while the 3,580,000 millionaires in Japan.

The two countries lead this ranking of countries in terms of the number of millionaires followed by No.3 France with 2,280,000, No.4 the UK 1,580,000, No.5 Germany 1,460,000, No.6 Italy and No.7 China.

Though the population of the US is 2.5 times larger than Japan's, there are three times more millionaires in the US than in Japan.

The GDP of the US in 2012 was about $16,244 billion while Japan recorded $5,960 billion. The ratio is 2.7.

However the land size of Japan is almost equal to the area of California State. Japan produces almost no crude oil and natural gas. So, it tells that Japanese people have been making great efforts to catch up with the US in terms of production of wealth.

Nonetheless there are 230 million Christians in the US while only two million Christians in Japan. For reference, it is estimated that there are 90 million Christians in China.

The modern science and technology originally developed in Europe and the US allowed peoples and nations in the world to produce various industrial products which became sources of wealth. Japan has adopted and developed material aspects of the Western civilization so well, and China has learnt modern technology and industrial knowledge from Japan. But the core of Western civilization which is Christianity has still no direct influence on the Japanese people.

Put differently, it is a kind of surprise than the non-Christian country Japan has been able to so well learn Western civilization in these 150 years to produce so many millionaires and so many valuable products.

So, some Western scholars came to be interested in Japan even before WWII. They have studied various aspects of Japan, including religion and history, but seem not to come to any clear conclusion. But it may tell that they have become less and less Christian. Only true Christians might find a true cause for success, if so material, of non-Christian Japan in this modern era.

The Number of Nobel Prize Laureates in Natural Science as of 2012:

1. US 242

2. UK 77

3. Germany 68

4. France 31

5. Sweden 16

6. JAPAN 15

6. Swiｔzerland 15

8. Netherlands 14

8. USSR/Russia 14

10. Denmark 9

10. Canada 9

Anyway Japan is the only leading scientific country in regions with non-European tradition.

*** *** *** ***Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Tokyo is however ranked No.1 concerning economy and environment and No.2 in terms of research and development. However, the capital of Japan is rated as No.8 for culture and communications, No. 10 for transportation and access, and No. 20 for convenience in living.

Now let's see what cities have wealthy residents.

Ranking of Cities Concerning the Number of Millionaires

Cities in order of the number of residents possessing $1 million or more:

1. Tokyo

2. New York

3. London

4. Paris

5. Frabkfurt

6. Beijing

7. Osaka

8. Hong Kong

9. Shanghai

10. Seul

Cities in order of the number of residents possessing $1 billion or more:

1. New York

2. Moscow

3. London

4. Hong Kong

5. Beijing

6. Shanghai

7. Paris

8. Los Angeles

9. Chicago

10. Singapore

11. Tokyo

However the most historic city in the world is of course Jerusalem. The city has six items of treasure:

1. Church of the Holy Sepulchre

2. Temple Mount/Dome of the Rock

3. The Western Wall

4. Mount Zion

5. Via Dolorosa

6. Mount of Olives

You cannot make a price for each of the above items. To save these items, all the Christians in the world, including the Pope, will pay billions of dollars.

But of course the most valuable asset for men is peace.

Jerusalem - whose name, according to tradition, is derived from the two Hebrew words "Ir" meaning city and "shalom" meaning peace - embodies the hope expressed in mankind's noblest aspiration: peace among all men. The freedom of worship which is enjoyed by Jews, Muslims and Christians at their holy sites, just a short distance from one another, and the daily contacts among the city's various ethnic and religious groups, each of which boasts a long-standing cultural tradition, can serve as a pattern of peace and coexistence to be emulated throughout the region.http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/state/pages/living%20in%20jerusalem.aspx

Maybe you might enjoy the most peaceful time in Jerusalem, which must be the most precious thing in the world.

*** *** *** ***Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;Mat 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.Mat 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

According to IEA, the US will be the largest producer of crude oil by 2020. This position will be kept by the US till the middle of 2020s. It is due to development of shale oil expanding. The US will become the largest producer of natural gas in 2015, too.

More interestingly, Iraq will be the fourth largest producer of crude oil, following the US, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, in 2020.

This is a surprising result of the War on Terror. In terms of energy, the US and Iraq have bright future. But Saudi Arabia, one of the largest beneficiaries of the Iraqi War, is expected to maintain its status as the first or the second largest provider of crude oil for the global market at least till 2035.

However the International Energy Agency predicts that 50% of crude oil to be traded in the world will be transported through Straits of Hormuz in 2035. It means stability around the Persian Gulf or the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia will remain as a key factor for economic development of the world.

Looking back to the history after WWII, the US was engaged in wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The only remaining major region in Asia for the US military engagement is Iran. And as I wrote, Iran can be even a key nation to the global economy as it can control Straits of Hormuz.

In a larger context of human history, Iran or a kingdom based in presently Iran took part as an occupier of ancient Israel. The land of Judea had been occupied by Persians till Alexander the Great defeated Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia.

So, the US defeated Iraq where Abraham was born; the US defeated Afghanistan where Alexander the Great advanced and reached as the most eastward territory of his empire; and the US is expected to fight Iran which destroyed the last independent kingdom of Hebrews and caused Babylonian captivity of ancient Israelites. And then the history of the ancient Middle East will be completely reflected on. Then the world must see the Second Coming of Christ so clearly.

*** *** *** ***Mar 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?Mar 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.Mar 10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Put simply, the Far Eastern countries, Japan, China, and South Korea, in total account for about 30% in total output of CO2 in the world. In other world, these only three countries are consuming energy and producing products in a ratio of about 30% of all the energy and products in the world. And they are not so called whites or blacks; peoples of these three countries are neither of European races nor of African races. They have also almost nothing to do with Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

So, the world can be now divided in the following way in terms of races, religions, and culture (though relationships between Japan, China, and S. Korea are not necessarily friendly or harmonious).

1. European/Christian Tradition Domain: Europe, Americas, etc.

2. Far Eastern Domain: Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, etc.

3. Other Domain: Africa, Islamic nations, India, etc.

However the world today is more directly governed by money and wealth than differences in races and culture.

For example, those who possess assets less than $10,000 account for 68.4% of all the adult population in the world. Their aggregate assets amount to $8.2 trillion, accounting for only 4.2% of all the wealth in the world, as the above figure tells (as of 2010).

If the world consisted of 1000 persons, they are divided in the following way:

5 super-rich or very rich men with assets of more than $1 million.

75 rich men with assets of more than $100,000 (less than 1 million).

235 non-rich/non-poor men with assets of more than $10,000 (less than 100,000).

684 poor men with assets less than $10,000.

(Note that 90% of adults in the world are non-rich or poor.)

And those in the highest tier occupy $69.2 trillion (accounting for 35.6% of all the adults) in total.

According to other statistics of 2012, there are 11 million wealthy people in the world. The US is the country where the largest number of wealthy people live, which is 3,060,000. Japan is the second with 1,820,000 wealthy people.

But we can refer to other statistics to view other way of division. According to UN Office on Drugs and Crime, 68,000 homicides occurred in the world in 2010. Its breakout is as follows:

Africa - 36%

Americas - 31%

Asia - 27%

Europe - 5%

Oceania - 1%.

Worldwide, 468,000 homicides occurred in 2010. Some 36 per cent of all homicides take place in Africa, 31 per cent in the Americas, 27 per cent in Asia, 5 per cent in Europe, and 1 per cent in Oceania, though population of each region is different.

Ratio of Population in the World:

Asia - 60.7%

Africa - 13.2%
Americas - 13.8%

Europe - 11.8%

Oceania - 0.5%
So, in a comprehensive sense, roughly speaking the world can be divided into the two: one sphere consisting of the US and its neighboring countries and another sphere consisting of the rest of the world.

So, if you are an American, you had better repent.

If you are outside Americas, you had better be outside Americas.

*** *** *** ***Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.Act 10:16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.Act 10:17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,Act 10:18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.Act 10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.Act 10:20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

*** *** *** ***1Co 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.1Co 10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Monday, October 14, 2013

According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the amount of mercury discharged to the air in 2010 was 1960 tons.

The largest source was gold digging by small businesses, accounting for 37% of all the discharged amount of mercury. In order to extract gold from gold ores, they made alloy of gold and mercury. And then the alloy was heated so that mercury is evaporated. And it is estimated that millions of people are engaged in this trade being carried out mainly in developing countries.

One of the most well-known diseases caused by mercury in the world is the Minamata Disease that was confirmed in Minamata City of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1956. Minamata City faces a rich inland sea connected to the East China Sea.

Minamata disease , sometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease, is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision, and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. A congenital form of the disease can also affect foetuses in the womb.

Minamata disease was first discovered in Minamata city in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan, in 1956. It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease

The evil of the Minamata Disease lies in that the Japanese Government promoting industrial development policies after WWII helped Chisso Corporation deny its responsibility and hide real conditions of the pollution. Some elite bureaucrats of Japan clearly took a stance to protect the company and sacrifice poor fishermen and residents eating contaminated fish and suffering the Disease. Indeed any company should have gone bankrupt if it had fully compensated tens of thousands of Minamata victims for their damage and diseases.

However, as time went by, a trend of respecting human rights and enhancing anti-pollution measures was intensified. And along with the Japanese society getting rich, consumers came to directly face the evil of industrial pollution. Accordingly the Government gradually changed its policy from industry-centric one to resident-centric one.

In this context, patients of the Minamata Disease are classified as follows:

1. Those who were not officially identified as patients of the Minamata Disease but received lump-sum money of 2.6 million yen as a final settlement of a political sense. Total 10,353 citizens fall into this category.

2. Those who were judged to be patients of the Minamata Disease in a law suit called the Kansai Minamata Disease litigation in 2004. The number of those identified as Minamata patients in various law suits was 7,890.

3. Those who are hiding their Disease or living without noticing that they are patients of this Disease. (Once Minamata Disease patients were treated badly and alienated by the public as if they had been suffering contagious diseases, since people did not realize the true cause of the Disease.) Total 20,000 to 30,000 citizens fall into this category.

4. Those who have been officially identified as Minamata Disease patients by public offices. Total 2,265 persons have been somewhat saved、though 1,582 patients among them were already dead.

If a citizens is officially identified as a Minamata Disease patient, he or she can receive damages of about 17 million yen and a special pension of about 150,000 yen per month. Chisso has already paid $1.2 billion though half of this amount was debts from Kumamoto Prefecture. As Chisso is a big company and a big employer, the prefecture office cannot let it go bankrupt.

Once, anti-Minamata Disease movement was very much highlighted along with anti-Vietnam War movement in Japan around 1970. Many liberal students and activists went down to Minamata City from Tokyo and other big cities to support victims of Chisso. Many notable journalists in Japan had an experience of having visited Minamata City for any purposes. It became a touchstone for proving one's passion and philosophy for justice in the industrialized nation Japan.

It is estimated that Chisso's plant in Minamata City has leaked total about 100 tons of mercury in the form of organic mercury in these decades. Incidentally Chisso means nitrogen in Japanese. And there is another location in Japan where people are also plagued with the same symptoms: the Aganogawa River region of Niigata Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan.

*** *** *** ***Exo 10:14 And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.Exo 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.Exo 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

According to a report issued by FAO last fall, there are 868 million people in the world who are suffering from malnutrition. The ratio of such people living in developing countries is 99%. However conditions have been steadily improved in these 20 years.

Accordingly the most sinful thing in this world is Michelin Red Guide which introduces restaurants of high-quality.

What did Jesus eat?

In Nazareth meals have always been important occasions. The act of eating and drinking together forms a bond of family, friendship, and community. It is no coincidence that many of Jesus' stories and most important encounters-such as the parable of the wedding banquet, the feeding of the five thousand, and the last supper-take place around meals or feasts.

Despite their significance, meals were quite simple and came only twice a day. Bread, legumes, oil, and dried or fresh fruit composed a typical meal.Among the foods most likely available in first-century Nazareth:

Nazareth, as a Jewish town, followed dietary laws from Hebrew Scripture governing clean and unclean animals. Cattle, sheep, and goats could be eaten. Pigs were forbidden. Fish with fins and scales were allowed. Catfish, crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimp), and mollusks (clams, mussels) were not allowed.

The last recorded meal of Jesus is in Luke 24:42-43 after his resurrection when he eats broiled fish to show his disciples that he is not a ghost. The last meal Jesus serves is a breakfast of fish and bread (John 21).http://nazarethvillage.com/food.php

If all the Christians today eat the same foods Jesus took, there would be no tragedy about foods in developing countries.

But can those who eat more than Jesus ate in terms of quality and quantity claim that they are followers of Christ Jesus?

The key to solving any problems in the human world must depend on realization of how sinful people of today are as they east so much. However, conversely, the solution is so simple: Eat less or like Christ Jesus.

Truly how he or she eats tells everything about the person.

*** *** *** ***Mat 10:12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.Mat 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.